


Koi no Yokan

by KeiChanz



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Brothels, Drama, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, I have no idea where the fuck im going with this, Inuyasha is a sarcastic little shit, It's gonna be one hell of a ride, Kings & Queens, Miroku is just a little shit, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Princes & Princesses, Protective InuYasha (InuYasha), Romance, Scandal, Slow Burn, Some Humor, but stick around, their bromance is legendary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:21:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24025000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeiChanz/pseuds/KeiChanz
Summary: Koi no Yokan:The feeling when you meet someone that you’re bound to fall in love.A prince discovering a deeper meaning to seemingly random hordes of bloodthirsty demons. A young woman unwillingly sold to a brothel by uncaring relatives, frightened and alone. How could these two circumstances possibly be related?
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Inu no Taishou/Izayoi, Miroku/Sango (InuYasha)
Comments: 88
Kudos: 163





	1. Chapter 1

Destruction. Fire. Chaos. Death.

Blood drenched the ground, the cloying scent lingering in the soot-thickened air. Black smoke rose toward the darkened heavens from various pyres of the dead, alight with the burning flame of rightful vengeance that had been justly served. The stench was awful, the sight a gruesome one indeed, but the act of eliminating the evidence of the abrupt battle was a necessary evil, especially with it being so close to a human village.

However, despite the circumstances that brought them here and the less than stellar duty of cleaning up the mess, the victors themselves were not morose, but the complete opposite. The enemy had been slain, naught but mindless creatures cursed with a bloodlust that could never be quenched, and their mission had been a success.

Of course, led by none other than the prince himself, victory had been a guarantee from the very beginning. Their leader was strong, brave, and some would say his tenacity would be their downfall, but those who knew and trusted him rebuffed the naysayers. While it was true the prince had a temper and oftentimes preferred brute strength over any sort of strategy, never let it be said that he was dimwitted or careless. He was indeed brilliant, but if anyone were to praise him for his genius, he’d scoff in the face of the compliment and dismiss it.

And for those who _really_ knew the prince and understood him on a level no one ever would save for perhaps the royal family themselves, such as second in command, confidant in battle, and most trusted friend, well…

Miroku thought it was quite amusing to watch the prince stutter and stammer over praise of his intellect while on the other hand, whenever his strength was commented on in a positive light, his friend would always give his signature arrogant smirk and boast about his heritage.

Strong? Yes. Brave? Absolutely. Brilliant? No doubt, despite the prince’s own claims to the contrary.

Humble? Not in the least.

But perhaps that was what made him such a great leader in the first place, Miroku mused as he watched their men drag lifeless bodies across the blood-soaked ground toward the many pyres of the dead. Because now that he thought about it, what man would follow orders from a physically strong being able to lift his own horse over his head, but with a mindset of someone meek and unsure? It was a contradiction if Miroku had ever thought of one, and idly he wondered if the prince was aware of it himself.

After a bit of thought, Miroku had to concede that it did indeed make sense. Because, being a walking contradiction himself and even despite the royal blood that coursed through his veins, Miroku supposed that the prince would be able to understand that more than anyone.

It was, after all, not easy being a half-breed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a couple notes before the chapter this time.
> 
> first, i want to emphasize that the chapters will remain about this length, give or take a paragraph or two. i find that it’s immensely easier to write if my chapters aren’t like 10k each heh. so yeah, sorry, they’re gonna be short. *shrug*
> 
> updates will be at least once a week, sometimes twice. 
> 
> yes, i’m still working on You Rescued Me. y’all know me; i just can’t control myself and i had to share this lol. 
> 
> because i’m a lazy fuck and didn’t describe Inuyasha’s attire, he _is_ wearing his firerat, however the design is more similar to how it was in the **[stage play](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C9d2G7_XgAExENU.jpg)**. i feel that it looks a bit more formal for his status. the only difference is that instead of the suikan being one piece, it’s still a robe that he can take on and off with ease like in the manga/anime. oh and he’s also wearing boots lol.
> 
> Inuyasha is wearing armor, though i didn’t write in that he was. his armor is similar to that of his **[father’s](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/675839448315068440/707645185340735589/image0.jpg) [[x]](https://s3.narvii.com/image/m37nklqfbbhtu3xfyl72wb6angn3csb5_hq.jpg)**, but on a smaller scale. i thought about using [Sesshomaru’s armor](https://mikkywolf.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/sesshomaru-in-front-of-the-moon.jpg?w=900), but the more i thought about it, it just doesn’t really fit for what i had in mind.
> 
> okay sorry for my rambling, enjoy the chapter!

The sound of approaching thunder cut of his thoughts but it was familiar thunder so Miroku merely sighed and turned his attention back to the scene before him. The mood amongst the men was light, perhaps even jovial and it was a strange sight indeed to hear laughter and joking as blood covered and battle-weary men tossed lifeless bodies of demons into piles before setting them ablaze.

But, he supposed, not dying was reason enough to be in a good mood so he couldn’t really blame them.

The thunder faded to a gentle rumble before stopping right beside him, however it took a bit longer for the heat of the flames to diminish. Not surprising; he was still probably riled up from battle but after a few rumbled assurances from his owner and some pats on his strong neck, Entei finally calmed with a quiet snort. His fiery mane and tail dimmed until the flames extinguished and, in their place, his regular bright orange hair appeared.

“Area is cleared,” the figure atop the massive white horse grunted and directed his gaze toward the men. “Swept the entire perimeter and I don’t think any of ‘em got past the bridge. Did a quick run through the village just to be safe and everything seemed normal with no signs of demons wreaking havoc so looks like we got here just in time.”

Miroku frowned and glanced up at the man. 

“You think this was an attack.” It wasn’t a question.

“I think it wasn’t a coincidence,” the figure returned grimly. His blood-smeared helmet concealed his eyes, but Miroku could see his lips turn down into a thoughtful frown. “It was too close and these fuckers have never bothered human settlements before. So why now out of nowhere? This is the third horde we’ve encountered in the course of a week. That’s not normal, Miroku.”

“But it doesn’t make any sense,” Miroku countered. “These are thoughtless, baseless creatures that are driven by hunger and a thirst for blood. They lack strategy, plotting, or anything that would suggest a higher brain function. To put it simply, they’re too stupid to group together and invade villages.”

“So then what the hell do you call this?” The figure growled and swept his arm around him. His mount snorted and shifted his weight before shaking his head.

“They didn’t get to the village,” Miroku pointed out.

“Because we stopped them before they _could_.”

Clearly frustrated, the figure growled and abruptly whipped off his helmet so he could rack clawed fingers through a fringe of messy silver bangs. Amber eyes glared hard at the destruction around them, eyeing the burning pillars of dead demons and watching as his men chatted amongst themselves, glad to be alive. With a grunt he brushed back his thick silver braid so it fell down his back, brow furrowed in aggravation.

“What are you suggesting, your highness?” Miroku asked lowly, violet gaze steady on his friend and leader. “You can’t possibly be thinking—”

“That they’re being controlled,” Inuyasha finished with a rough sigh. “Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m thinking.”

Miroku was silent as he digested that.

Then, “Fuck.”

“Yep.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright, remember when i said that the chapters are gonna be on the shortish side? well i lied lmao. i mean they’ll still be short, def not as long as chapters from my other stories, but they’re at least double now than what they were. not to say _some_ of them will be shorter than most, but...you get the gist lol.
> 
> i just didn’t think it was really fair to give such short chapters when nothing was happening. it gets boring and also i’m impatient hahaha. 
> 
> **quick note:** for the sake of this story, the title _Inu no Taisho_ is the official title for king, but i'll still be using Inu no Taisho and king interchangeably when narrating Touga so it doesn't get repetitive. 
> 
> anyway, enjoy! :)

With a grunt, Prince Inuyasha, youngest son of the Inu no Taisho and his Queen, dismounted from his steed with practiced ease and gave his faithful companion several grateful strokes on his strong neck. Entei nickered and nudged Inuyasha’s shoulder before trotting off, mane and tail blazing to life as he kicked off the ground and flew away to who knew where, but the prince wasn’t concerned. Entei was a free spirit, and their bond was strong enough that he knew the demonic horse would return when summoned.

“Well,” Miroku said and Inuyasha turned his attention to his longtime friend. “At least there’s some good news.”

Inuyasha cocked a brow.

The dark-haired man shrugged. “No one died.”

The prince rolled his eyes and started toward where his men had gathered, awaiting further instruction.

“Not that big a surprise, Miroku. They were weak. Not very hard to kill.”

“No, but there _were_ a lot of them,” Miroku countered, following after him. “And it did take a while. Long enough where plans to arrive at the city tonight have been thwarted. Not to mention we’ve been on the road for a while now and the men _have_ been complaining about not being able to rest—”

Inuyasha stopped, sighed, and spun around to face his second in command with an exasperated glare.

“Spit it out.” He waved a hand in the air impatiently, having known his wily friend long enough by now to understand what the idiot _wasn’t_ trying to say.

Miroku smiled innocently and his violet eyes danced. “That village beyond the bridge you checked out has a brothel—”

“No.”

“Yes, but listen, Inuyasha,” Miroku continued, undeterred by the prince’s quick refusal. He’d been expecting it, after all. “Women, a hot meal, sake, women, a soft bed, _women_.”

Inuyasha scowled. “Yeah, and a normal inn has all of that at _half_ the cost, you perverted asshole. And,” he continued and couldn’t stop the smirk from curling his lips. “The women there are more likely to give you the time of day.”

Miroku groaned. “That was one time, Inuyasha, _one_ _time._ Are you ever going to let me live that down?!”

“Nope,” Inuyasha replied quite jovially, the bastard.

The man groaned again and fell into step beside his friend who’d started forward once more.

“Come on, Inuyasha,” Miroku pleaded one last time. “It’s almost dusk, the men are weary and hungry, and I dare say some company of the fairer sex wouldn’t be remiss after days of traveling with, well, ourselves. And don’t tell me you’re saying no because of the cost. You’re a goddamn prince, Inuyasha. Money is no issue.”

Suddenly exhausted in mind and body, Inuyasha heaved a sigh and dragged a hand down his face before plopping down onto a charred stump. Around him his men grew quiet in the presence of their prince and leader, their expressions tired, but curious as they looked between their hanyou leader and his second in command.

“I’m tired, Miroku,” Inuyasha revealed at last and lifted his head. “I just want a bath and a bed. In that order. And you know I can’t stand those kinds of places. Always reeks of sex and…other things.”

Miroku raised a brow and said dryly, “A brothel reeking of sex? Shocking.”

“Shut up.”

Sighing, the dark-haired man tried one more time because in the end, he just couldn’t pass up a warm bed with a nice, warm female body beside his own.

“We’ve just slain hundreds of blood demons hellbent on making us a meal and ended up saving a village from their hunger in the process. Would you deny your men at least a minor reward of food, drink, sex, and a soft bed to sleep in for the night? I dare say they’ve earned it, but what do I know?” Miroku shrugged. “I’m just a perverted asshole, after all.”

It was obvious he was trying not to smile while he said it, though, violet eyes glinting with barely suppressed mischief.

The little shit.

Leveling a glare his friend’s way, Inuyasha’s ears pinned into his dirty hair and he grimaced. Well, when the idiot put it that way… Looking over his men, he received expectant but tried stares back and the prince knew they wouldn’t protest any order they were given even if they didn’t like it. These soldiers before him were some of his best, loyal, brave, strong, and Inuyasha knew if he didn’t give in just this one time the guilt would slowly eat him alive.

Well, fuck.

“Fine,” Inuyasha finally conceded in a low growl and Miroku’s grin was victorious. “But just _one_ night. We leave _first_ _thing_ in the morning. Understood?”

“Of course, your highness,” Miroku immediately obliged and stepped forward to make the announcement while Inuyasha cursed and shook his head.

“Gentlemen, tonight we celebrate our victory! It is with great pleasure that I tell you our leader and prince has generously allowed us to recover our weary bodies with food, drink, and women at—”

Inuyasha tuned the rest of it out but from the sounds of the raucous cheering his men made, the announcement was received well and he sighed again, dragging a hand down his face. Fuck, he hoped he wasn’t going to regret this. While it may be true that being a prince held no value here since this place was far enough away from the city that no one would recognize him, that wouldn’t stop people from seeing _what_ he was and being a half-breed wasn’t exactly received well in the countryside.

Sure, it was widely known that the royal prince was a hanyou, and the stigma of half-breeds has dwindled considerably since his birth, but there were still those who looked upon them with disgust and hatred. Usually those people were found in small villages like the one beyond the bridge and Inuyasha really hoped no one would be brave enough to start something with him. Words and insults he could handle no problem; he was used to that. But if he could, he wanted to avoid any arguments or fights. As Miroku said, his men deserved a break and if something happened, he was positive they would follow and support him without question.

So no, he’d do his best to blend into the background and let his men have this. Besides, it’d be nice to sit back and relax without being bowed, groveled or catered to. It wasn’t often he was treated like a regular man, so given that his heritage wouldn’t cause a problem for anyone, maybe this would be good for him, too.


	4. Chapter 4

After giving orders to round up the horses that hadn’t run off or died during the earlier skirmish, Inuyasha led his soldiers toward the village he’d scoped out earlier and tried not to drag his feet. Fuck, but he really was exhausted and he was looking forward more to the thought of a bed than a hot meal. He could go a few days with no food without issue, likewise with sleep, but considering how many days they’ve been on the road without proper shelter _and_ fighting off two other hordes of demons, it was safe to say even the prince was ready for a damned break.

It was dark by the time they entered the village and the streets were empty. Unsurprisingly Miroku led the way to the brothel and Inuyasha lagged behind, amused despite himself at the excitement that was clear as he watched his men.

 _Okay,_ he surmised. _Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea_. When was the last time any of these guys got any action, anyway? They’d be in great spirits tomorrow, at least, and have their full strength returned with a proper night’s rest. Beds were probably more comfortable than the inn’s, anyhow.

The brothel itself was smaller than average, but expected given the size and status of the village it was located in. It seemed to be nothing more than a poor fishing village so why it had a brothel in the first place was a mystery Inuyasha wasn’t sure he wanted to unravel. And how the hell did Miroku even know there was one here, anyway?

Inuyasha paused and made a face. Actually nevermind. Idiot probably had a fucking radar or a sixth sense for these things knowing him. Damned pervert.

The building seemed to be well kept though, and Inuyasha was grateful for that as he followed his troop inside, the last to enter. He was greeted with an explosion of colors and lavish furnishings on the inside and as expected the stench of sex lingered heavily in the air. He tried not to let the disgust show on his face as the group of men was immediately approached by very scantily clad women and Inuyasha slunk away to some forgotten corner before anyone could spot him.

He’d just settled down against the far wall when what he could only assume was the Madam of the establishment appeared from behind a curtained off section, hands on her wide hips and generous breasts about damn near falling out of her corset. Inuyasha snorted and brought a hand to his mouth to conceal his amused smirk.

Robust, but still fairly attractive, the Madam had flaming red hair piled up into an elegant updo, emerald green eyes, and a stern face that showed her age. Once upon a time Inuyasha suspected she must have been quite beautiful and had probably worked at this very establishment before becoming its owner.

That sharp green gaze suddenly landed on him but before she could demand why her girls were suddenly being accosted by a number of unwashed, battle-weary men, Miroku sidled into her path and turned the charm up to eleven.

“Ah, Madam Kirina,” Miroku greeted with a charming smile and a bow. “You’re looking ravishing, as always. Is that a new perfume?”

Madam Kirina snorted and crossed her arms, not buying the pervert’s act for a minute.

“You again,” she drawled and why was Inuyasha not surprised he’d been here before. “I had a feeling you’d crawl out of whatever hole you’ve been hiding in and come back to harass my poor girls. Like some kind of insect that won’t die no matter how many times you step on it.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is cockroach,” Inuyasha helpfully supplied.

The Madam snorted a laugh while Miroku shot a glare at the smirking hanyou.

“My pr—” he started but the sharp look Inuyasha sent him _strongly_ suggested he not finish that particular title. “Ah, my _friend_ , you wound me so!”

Miroku chuckled nervously and turned back toward the madam. He’d been hoping she’d have forgotten who he was, but it looked like he was out of luck on that particular aspect. Well, at least there was still one surefire way to get on her good side.

Clearing his throat, Miroku closed his eyes and bowed deeply before the woman.

“My dearest Madam Kirina, I offer my humblest and sincerest apologies for my, ah, pervious transgressions,” he started and straightened one more. Kirina looked unimpressed, arms crossed and staring at him blandly.

Shit. That hadn’t worked either. “Er, I honestly did not mean any offense, Madam. I thought—well, that is to say the girls, I assumed they—”

“Just because my girls work here don’t mean you can grab ‘em whenever you damn well please,” Kirina snapped, narrowing her eyes and Miroku gulped. “They still have rights, and no means no, a word that is obviously foreign to you. Give me one good reason I shouldn’t have Sen throw your ass out like she did last time, boy.”

Miroku visibly perked up. “Sen’s still here?”

Madam Kirina scowled and Inuyasha decided it was time to step in before the idiot ruined everyone’s fun.

“These men are soldiers that are employed by the royal family and work directly with the prince,” Inuyasha piped up from his location still slumped against the wall and his gaze was steady as green collided with gold.

“This idiot here is his second in command. I humbly ask that you allow us a single night of reprieve from a long journey and you and your girls will be paid handsomely for it.”

Madam Kirina studied him silently or a long moment, gaze unwavering, and Inuyasha stared calmly back. Evidently, she either found what she was searching for or simply liked what she saw, because her expression cleared and she nodded once.

“Very well. I expect you keep your word, demon.”

Inuyasha nodded back. “I always do, Madam.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Jo and Ai will fetch you something to eat and drink,” Madam Kirina told them, already turning away. “I’ll fetch Sen and the little leech. I need all my girls for you lot and it’s about time that brat earned her keep, anyway.”

She disappeared behind the red curtains and Inuyasha wondered what she was talking about, but then decided he didn’t much care when two girls appeared with a rolling cart of food and sake shortly afterward.

“ _Sen_ ,” Miroku sighed dreamily as he wandered over to where the prince was lounging. “I get to see my darling Sen again! Had I known she was still here I—”

Inuyasha stuck out his foot and kicked his idiotic friend’s feet out from under him. His second in command yelped in surprise and went down hard.

“Sword’s in my spleen,” Miroku gasped, writhing around on the floor.

“You’re the one who wanted to go here,” Inuyasha reminded his second in command with a hard glare, impervious to his pain. “This was _your_ idea and you almost cost us a decent night’s rest by being a fucking idiot. You’re damn lucky I was here to salvage your pathetic attempt at securing us lodging.”

Inuyasha’s glare faded and he arched a brow. “Though considering what this Sen did to you before, maybe I shoulda let her throw you out. Probably woulda been hilarious as fuck.”

“God, you’re such an asshole,” Miroku groaned as he rolled over onto his stomach and rubbed side.

“Noted. Behave yourself, Miroku. I mean it. I don’t wanna dump even more of my money into this place because you fucked up again. We clear?”

“Crystal,” Miroku grumbled and crawled away with as much dignity as he could muster.

Three times Inuyasha was approached by an escort with sake and a suggestive smile and three times he declined their offers, however he did let them refill his sakezuki cup. He couldn’t tell if they were relieved or not that he’d turned them down, but it didn’t matter. He was tired, his stomach was full for the first time in weeks, and he had a good buzz going on.

The men were enjoying themselves at least, the lot of them already drunk and shamelessly flirting with the girls it not having already stolen away to the bedrooms with them. Inuyasha was glad he’d given; it was nice to see them laughing and having a good time for once, and not complaining about sore feet or the stench of unwashed men.

And speaking of, these girls were fucking stellar at masking their repulsion because Inuyasha knew the lot off them definitely did not smell like summertime daisies. Then again, they were probably used to the disgusting habits of men, so perhaps it wasn’t all that much of a surprise. Still, the prince himself couldn’t wait to wash himself down and get rid of all the caked-on grime, blood, and dirt he’d acquired over the course of three weeks. Sure, dunks in the river helped, but there was only so much one could do without the assistance of soap and they were on a schedule so their baths were short.

A sudden commotion drew the hanyou prince from his musings and he directed his gaze across the room. His eyebrows popped into his bangs. The girl Miroku had been gushing about earlier, Sen, was pleading with a ticked off looking Madam Kirina while his second in command, the drunk idiot, stared at Sen’s ass. He couldn’t hear what was being said over the girlish gigging and loud, boisterous laughter around him but from what he could tell Sen was begging her not to do something but the Madam was having none of it, dismissing the girl before stomping away and disappearing behind the curtains.

Inuyasha frowned and flicked his gaze back to the girl. Sen’s face was pale and she looked incredibly worried as Miroku looped an arm around her waist and dragged her back down to his lap. It spoke volumes when she didn’t resist the man like she had been all night, and he had to wonder just what the hell she was so worried about.

Turned out a few minutes later Inuyasha received his answer when, over the din, his ears picked up the sound of an unfamiliar female voice pleading with someone to not make her go out there seconds before Madam Kirina reappeared. Dragging behind her with a tight grip on her wrist was the clearly reluctant woman, her face even paler than Sen’s, and looking utterly terrified.

“No, please, Madam, I can’t—!”

“Enough,” the brothel owner snapped, giving a hard yank and making the girl stumble forward into a quietly observing hanyou’s line of sight. “I’ve let you hide upstairs like a scared little whelp for long enough, girl. I clothe you, I feed you, I gave you a place to live—”

“Because I had no choice,” the girl hissed and jerked free of the Madam’s grasp, midnight eyes flashing with a spark of temper and Inuyasha could see her.

If asked to explain what Inuyasha had felt right then, he would have said it was the most peculiar sensation he had ever felt in his entire life. His stomach plummeted, his heart rate skyrocketed in his chest, and it was as if he were free falling only be swallowed by churning waves of endless midnight waters. The blood pounded in his ears, the fine hairs on his arms stood up on end, and something warm blossomed in his chest before spreading outward.

For a split second Inuyasha thought that perhaps it was the sake that had him feeling so out of sorts. But then blue eyes abruptly collided with burnished amber and Inuyasha suddenly found himself drowning in the turbulent waters of that magnificent sapphire gaze, he decided that no, it definitely was not the sake.

She looked away, Inuyasha could suddenly breathe again, and from over the rim of his sakezuki, hooded amber eyes watched on, silent.


	6. Chapter 6

Madam Kirina snorted and quipped, “If you didn’t have a choice, girl, then why did you stay?”

The blue-eyed girl stiffened and shut up after that, looking away with a guilty flush.

The older woman grunted and finally released her, placing her hands on her wide hips. For a moment she simply studied her newest employee with a shrewd eye, finally admitting to herself that it had been a wise decision to accept the sale. While a little more petite then most of her girls, she was definitely pretty with starling blue eyes, a fair complexion that contrasted nicely with dark hair, and lovely curves where it counted. Madam Kirina was positive she’d grow to be very popular with the men, after she’d gained some experience of course, and after today she’d finally be able to stop declining that wretched Oni-what’s-his-name and his countless offers for this rare gem.

Yes, this girl would become quite the asset to her brothel, the Madam was sure. And it was no time like the present to make her put that face and body of hers to work. She wasn’t about to let them go to waste when she could be turning a considerate profit, after all.

“No more excuses,” she said firmly, emerald gaze stern. “It is time you earn your keep here and stop wasting my precious resources when you could be _helping_. It’s not fair to me or the other girls, and I’ll not allow you to hide behind Sen or in the kitchens this time. We have a surplus of clients tonight and I need _everyone_ entertaining while I provide the refreshments. Am I clear?”

The young woman looked about ready to cry and Inuyasha felt a strange twinge in his chest at the sight.

“But—but Madam, I don’t know _how_ —” she tried to explain, nervously twisting the fabric of her gauzy dress in her hands.

“Then learn,” Madam Kirina barked, unsympathetic. “You will receive no special treatment from me or anyone else just because you are inexperienced. And I warn you, girl, if I hear _one_ complaint from any of these men about your poor performance, I will not hesitate to give you over to Onigumo when next he visits and let him do with you as he will. Now, am I _clear_ , girl?”

The threat had the woman’s head jerking up as a gasp escaped her lips, blue eyes wide with apparent alarm. Deep and genuine fear flashed across her pale features for an instant, but the lack of compassion, of sympathy on the older woman’s stone-faced expression had her head bowing in defeat. Remembering the very clear warning that had been in those green eyes, the dark-haired woman swallowed the ball in her throat before jerking her head in a stiff nod, dropping her gaze to her bare feet.

Madam Kirina didn’t spare her another glance before brushing past her and disappearing beyond the curtains once more, leaving the newest member of the business to fend for herself.

From his place still lounging against the wall, half-empty sakezuki balanced on his knee and staying quiet to not draw attention to himself, the hanyou prince watched the petite woman as she did her best to “entertain” the guests.

Even if his gaze wandered to check if Miroku was behaving himself as he should be or if any of his soldiers were being a nuisance to the other girls, his eyes always traveled back to the blue-eyed woman as if of their own accord. It was easy to pick her out amongst the other women; while the rest were draped in deep reds, oranges, and greens, she was the only one donned in yellow. Like gentle sunshine, her dress was gauzy and flowed behind her when she moved, drawing attention to her shapely hips and slim legs. It scarcely covered her, not leaving much to the imagination, and Inuyasha suspected she was well aware of that fact whenever one of his men tugged on the garment with a sly grin or brushed fingers against bared skin.

She was very obviously uncomfortable with all the attention, and probably just from being around men at all. She was skittish. Clumsy. Nervous, and her face held a perpetual blush. Sharp honey eyes caught the way her hands shook as she poured sake, saw the forced smile on her face as she faked a laugh, noted how tense she was sitting among them. Her movements were stilted, an obvious strain in her voice when one of the soldiers tried to engage her in conversation.

Above all else, however, Inuyasha could smell the strong stench of fear and it made his gut clench uncomfortably. It rolled off of her in waves, nearly palpable, and she acted as if she were about to be assaulted at any second. And if he were to be frank, it wasn’t that farfetched. Brothels were deplorable places of ill repute, scandalous, unclean, and there have been reports of the nefarious sort other than the obvious happening within the establishments. If his parents caught wind that he’d stepped inside one he’d get hell, especially when there was a perfectly good inn right across the way.

Inuyasha suddenly scowled and tipped back his sake.

 _Fucking Miroku,_ he inwardly groused, pinning his second in command with a heated glower.

The man in question was oblivious, clearly inebriated and demanding all of the woman Sen’s time and attention to himself.

And perhaps that was another reason why the perverted idiot wasn’t exactly his favorite person right now. Several times now Sen had tried to escape Miroku’s needy arms to save her friend but more often than not, the man would always reel her back in, demanding more food or sake or conversation. Other times it was Madam Kirina who stilled her with a single warning look and even a seasoned escort knew better than to disobey the lady of the house, so Sen was forced to back down to endure Miroku’s insistent pawing.

Every time Sen would send her friend a genuine apologetic look while mouthing _“I’m sorry”_ and she would receive a trembling smile in response and a silent _“It’s okay.”_

Inuyasha snorted quietly. It was _not_ okay, but he couldn’t very well do shit about it, so he remained where he was, sipping his sake and thinking maybe it was time to retire for the night. He doubted the Madam had any available rooms to rent, and he wasn’t about to take up any of the girls on their offers. Besides, the majority of them had already retreated upstairs with one of his men – or two – so there weren’t many options left, other than the Madam herself which was a solid _fuck no_ , the blue-eyed beauty, which was also a solid no, and the floor.

 _Floor it is,_ Inuyasha decided and polished off his sake before unceremoniously flopping back onto the floor with a grunt. At least it was cushioned and he had his choice of plush pillows. He dragged the closest one over to him, a red overstuffed monstrosity with gold frills and some kind of weird pattern stitched onto it that made him suspect it was more for decoration than for actual use, but fuck it, he didn’t particularly care at moment. It was a pillow, he was tired, he was using it. End of.

Shoving the thing beneath his head, the hanyou wriggled around a bit to get comfortable, a rather difficult feat to do when laden with heavy armor, but he couldn’t very tell take it off so he ignored it as best as he could. Satisfied after adjusting Tetsusaiga so it wasn’t jammed into his ribs, Inuyasha sighed, closed his eyes, and slept.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know it's kinda short, but i _did_ say some of them would be about this length, so. *shrug* to make up for it though i'll probs post the next chapter friday or saturday ~~also because i'm a horrible person and just straight up forgot to update this story lmao whoops~~

Except he didn’t.

With the noise level considerably lowered now that half his men and the girls were upstairs engaging in sinful activities, Inuyasha was easily able to pick up the rapid beat of a heart, the low murmur of male voices, and the stuttered, meek replies said in a tiny voice that pulled at his heartstrings. It was as if his subconscious had honed in and refused to budge from its fixation, heightening every one of his senses and tuning them on _her_.

The scent of her fear, before having stayed at a steady level, suddenly skyrocketed and it left a bad taste in his mouth, acrid and bitter and it caused a low growl to erupt before he could stop it. He heard a small whimper, a rustle of cloth, and the sound of retreating footsteps. A whispered plea, Miroku’s low voice probably attempting to be seductive, and a hitched breath.

But it was the strong male arousal that had his eyes shooting open and whipping his head around in time to watch Miroku drag Sen behind the curtains and up the stairs. Miss Sunshine was visibly shaking as she stared after them, face ashen and blue eyes impossibly wide. And it wasn’t his second in command he was smelling, either; it was the two men left alone with her now that were both clearly thinking not so pure thoughts about the beautiful woman. 

He watched with growing trepidation as his men exchanged a look before getting to their feet, dragging the beautiful woman with them and smiling when she gasped in surprise. It was obvious she was extremely nervous and reluctant and they spoke to her in low tones, trying to reassure her while also subtly guiding her toward the stairs.

She squeaked and vehemently shook her head, pulling at her hands that they each had a grip on and trying valiantly to persuade them to stay here or a little longer, wouldn’t they like some more sake?

Dante, one of the men Inuyasha knew liked to be a little rougher with his women, merely chuckled and tugged at the bodice of her dress, revealing a generous view of the woman’s cleavage.

“C’mon, dollface,” he coaxed in his sake-roughened voice, his grip tightening on her wrist as he pulled a little harder. “It’ll be fine, you’ll see. We ain’t gonna hurt ya.”

Saitou, whose preference in women had absolutely no limits, nodded eagerly and couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of her chest.

“Yeah, sweet thing,” he assured, reaching out to grab her waist none too gently. “We’ll make you feel good, real good. You can trust us.”

Inuyasha flinched and forced himself to ignore it even as his hands fisted and his stomach roiled uncomfortably. Dammit, what the hell was wrong with him? Why did that bother him so much? She was employed by a fucking brothel, of _course_ this was going to happen. What else did she expect was going to happen?

“B-but—but—I— _wait_ —”

Frantic, desperate for someone to save her, she looked around with wide blue eyes, the panic clear on her face when she didn’t spot hide nor hair of Madam Kirina and the only other man left was passed out on the floor by the wall. A sob welled in her throat. Oh god, this was it. She was about to be dragged upstairs against her will and she was no doubt going to lose her innocence to two inebriated men who clearly thought she was willing, but just nervous.

 _Someone, please,_ she thought as they dragged her closer to the stairs, hands pawing at her waist, her chest, her backside. The sob erupted from her lips on a stuttered breath but the men barely noticed, eager grins on their faces, their eyes alight with wicked intent.

_Sen, Madam Kirina, anyone, please help me…!_

From his location by the far wall, brow furrowed, jaw clenched, ears pinned into his hair, the salty scent of tears drifted over to him and Inuyasha’s resolved abruptly shattered.

“Aw, fuck me,” he grumbled and got to his feet.


	8. Chapter 8

When the men still did not release her and seemed completely oblivious to her increasingly hysteric state – though she did suspect that might have something to do with their inebriation – Kagome decided that if they weren’t giving in to her shy nervous act, even though it wasn’t an act at all, she might as well go for the truth. It was a last-ditch effort, and unlikely to succeed, but she was desperate, frightened, and out of options.

“W-w-wait,” she tried, digging her heels into the floor and by now the tears were running unchecked down her face—not that the two men even noticed. “I-I have rights, you can’t—!”

“That’s enough.”

The low timbre of a male’s voice, deep enough that she would even call it a growl, startled Kagome enough that her tears paused and her fear momentarily abated. She whipped her head around with wide eyes, a sliver of hope embedded in her heart but then gasped sharply when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and forcibly yanked her out of the drunken men’s grasp.

Her back collided with a hard chest and in her peripheral she spotted familiar armor, gleaming in the dim light of the brothel. So he hadn’t been asleep! Was he going to save her from these callous, drunken men?

“Since you two drunken fools seem incapable of thinking with nothing but your dicks at the moment, you fail to realize how uncomfortable this girl is so I’ll be taking her for myself. You’d probably do nothing but hurt her in your attempt to get off and I won’t have that.”

Kagome deflated and the tears started anew, her body stiffening. He wasn’t here to save her. True, he seemed considerably more sober than the other two men, and he was _significantly_ more attractive, but still, she’d hoped…

She’d half expected for the men to complain, or at least put in a token protest, but to her surprise all they did was grouse quietly and mumble under their breath. Then again, he was a good head taller than the two of them and the arm around her waist was thick with muscle, so perhaps they were smarter than they looked. Or maybe it was as simple as he was their captain or some kind of superior.

Whatever the reason, it didn’t even matter and Kagome wasn’t foolish enough to even put in a token resistance as he released her waist only to gently grab her arm and guide her toward the stairs. She bit her lip to hold in her sobs, tears blurring her vision as they ascended and Kagome hated herself, hated this man for what he was about to do to her, and she deeply regretted not running away when she’d had the chance.

God, she should have listened to Sango and run away that first night. Though she’d only known the older girl for a mere week, she was the only one Kagome could trust, her only friend in this wretched place, and she wouldn’t be in this position right now if she’d only heeded Sango’s words the night she’d arrived. As one of the more popular escorts of the brothel, Madam Kirina had instructed Sango to “show her the ropes” and as soon as she was able, she’d pulled Kagome aside and spoke her to in her hushed tones.

 _“You need to run, girl. I can tell just by looking at you that you’re rare, you’re_ pure _, and this place will extinguish that light in your eyes. In the middle of the night, go, and I’ll cover for you. You shouldn’t be here.”_

_Kagome had looked at her with tear-filled eyes, her expression awed, wondering._

_“Why?” she’d asked, barely above a whisper._

_At that, Sango had given her a wry smile and gently squeezed her shoulder._

_“Because I wish someone had told me the same thing when I first came here,” she’d whispered. “I won’t have you wishing that, too.”_

“Which one?”

The deep husk of the man’s voice startled Kagome out of her thoughts and she gasped, darting her gaze up to his face. He was frowning but not at her and with a start Kagome realized they were standing in the hallway where the bedrooms were located. Dumbly Kagome pointed and he grunted before tugging her down to the end of the hallway where her room was tucked away, the smallest one out of them all.

Kagome was feeling strangely numb as he opened the door, dragged her inside, and then closed them in.

The second the doors closed behind them, Inuyasha released her arm and put some space between them because she was shaking like a leaf and the fear stench doubled in intensity. He tried to ignore it and surveyed the room, his frown deepening. The room they stood in was small, definitely smaller than average, with the only furniture being a wardrobe, an old plush chair, and a bed hardly big enough for one person, let alone two with a small nightstand beside it. An oil lamp illuminated the cramped space and there was only a single window that faced the lake.

If Inuyasha had disliked Madam Kirina before, he did even more so now because it was clear this space hadn’t been meant to be a bedroom. Hell, there were musty looking boxes still stacked up against the far wall, suggesting it had been used for storage before.

Scowling, the prince stalked over to the plush chair and plopped down into it. At least it was sturdy and cushioned enough where it wasn’t too uncomfortable. He eyed the bed; small, but the blankets appeared freshly laundered and he could detect no telling scents. Matter of fact, the only things he could smell were _her_ and subtle traces of that woman Sen Miroku seemed so entranced with.

He sighed heavily and dragged a hand down his face. He got it now. The fear. Sen’s concern. Kirina’s behavior toward her.

Hell, the girl wasn’t just shy or awkward around men. She was innocent. Pure. A fucking virgin and Inuyasha wondered just how the _hell_ she’d ended up here.

Pushing his bangs back from his face, Inuyasha directed his gaze toward the woman in question and something in his chest constricted at the sight of her. Shaking and frozen in place, she stared at him with great blue eyes from a face that was pale and streaked with tears. She hadn’t moved any farther than the door, shrinking back against as it and Inuyasha wondered if she’d bolt if he so much as moved toward her.

He frowned again, ears lowering on his head. God. She was fucking petrified, like she truly thought he was going to force himself on her. That should have made him angry – he would _never_ force himself on an unwilling woman – but instead all it made him feel was a deep sorrow for this poor soul who had clearly gone through some very bad experiences in her past. It also made him feel an abrupt surge of protectiveness because she looked so fucking small and fragile and it was eliciting weird manly urges that he didn’t want to look at too closely but he decided not to dwell on any of that in favor of getting that frightened look off her face.

“You can relax,” he finally told her, his voice a low rumble that he hoped wasn’t as gruff as it sounded. “I ain’t gonna touch you.”

Instead of the relief he was expecting to see, she narrowed her eyes at him, obviously skeptical, and he inwardly cursed. Okay then.

“Look,” he tried again and rubbed his face tiredly. “I only brought you up here because I’m fucking tired, you looked scared as hell, and those two drunken idiots downstairs were pissing me off. You can’t honestly say you’re not glad I intervened.”

He cocked a brow at her and waited. She blinked and then pouted a tad mulishly, her face coloring as she looked away from him. His lips twitched. At least she’d stopped crying; the scent of her tears was making him uneasy.

“I won’t touch you,” he assured her once more, amber eyes earnest and he waited until midnight eyes connected with his own again before continuing.

“You’re safe here. You have my word.”


	9. Chapter 9

_“You’re safe here. You have my word.”_

Those words, said in that deep rumble of this that Kagome was actually starting to think sounded pleasant, shot straight through her and had a strange feeling of warmth curling in her stomach. It spread outward, making her skin pebble, the breath to catch in her throat, and a flush to color her cheeks a soft pink.

She stared at him, blue eyes searching his face, his eyes, for what she wasn’t sure. But the way he steadily stared back at her, his gaze unwavering, grounded her like nothing else ever had and for the first time in what felt like the longest week of her life, Kagome truly, fully relaxed.

“You…you mean that,” she breathed, her voice filled with wonderment.

Inuyasha nodded once. “I mean it.”

He didn’t fail to notice that she’d stopped trembling and he was grateful she finally appeared to be relaxing.

Kagome swallowed the ball in her throat and sucking in a shaky breath, she nodded, wordlessly saying she believed him. After all, if he truly wasn’t telling the truth, wouldn’t he have gone for the bed instead of the chair? And she remembered how he’d instantly released her before stepping away, giving her some space, but she’d been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice his behavior before now.

The urge to bolt and hide gradually disappeared. Kagome straightened against the door, however didn’t move away from it, simply standing and regarding him quietly. He didn’t seem to mind so she didn’t stop, watching as he started removing his heavy looking armor with a grunt and letting it fall to the floor. It clanked loudly and she flinched at the sound. He paused and sent her a questioning look, but she shook her head. He frowned, but didn’t comment and he tugged his sword free from its place at his hip before dropping that beside the chair.

With his armor no longer obscuring the view, Kagome took in his red clothing, titling her head to the side. She’d never seen anything quite like it before. It looked regal and it reminded her of clothes she’d seen at the marketplace in the city when she’d visited years ago, before her parents died and before…

She shook her head, ignoring the pang in her chest she got whenever she thought about her parents. Now wasn’t the time.

The man shifted, drawing her attention, and Kagome transferred her gaze in time to watch him shrug out of his suikan and undershirt, revealing a _very_ nice chest smeared with dried blood and a nasty looking cut on his left arm.

Kagome gasped and blurted before she could stop herself, “You’re hurt!”

Inuyasha frowned at her. “What?”

“Your arm!” She pointed and he dropped his gaze while lifting his arm.

His eyebrows rose into his bangs. “Huh. Lookit that.” He poked it and winced. Son of a _bitch_ , that hurt. What the hell? Why hadn’t it healed?

Unthinkingly Kagome took a step forward, but then seemed to remember herself and faltered, biting down on her lip in uncertainty. The man hadn’t noticed her hesitation, still poking at his injury with a puzzled frown and seeming surprised that every time he touched it, it hurt. Kagome blinked, amused despite herself, and suddenly it was easy to move forward, closing the distance between them to inspect the wound herself.

To say Inuyasha was confused would be an understatement. He must have gotten the cut hours ago when fighting off that horde of demons, but why hadn’t it healed by now? It looked like any other cut he’d gotten in his life. Not particularly deep. About four inches long. He looked down at his suikan, but knew he wouldn’t find anything. If one of the fuckers had indeed cut through his firerat to score the skin beneath, the fabric would have already been repaired by now. As he’d suspected, the sleeve was clean and whole, without a stitch out of place and he growled in a mixture of irritation and confusion. What the _fuck_ —

Small hands – soft hands – were suddenly cradling his arm and Inuyasha jerked back instinctively, gaze flying to the woman before him. When the hell had she moved?

The woman gasped, probably not expecting that reaction, but recovered quickly and gently took his arm again. Stunned Inuyasha did nothing as she inspected the wound, her touch so light as she brushed her fingertips against it that he barely felt it.

“This needs to be treated before it gets infected,” she told him, her voice soft and she raised her head to lock gazes with him.

She flushed and looked away, studying the laceration again before asking tentatively, “W-will you let me?”

His ear flicked and he regarded her steadily, brow furrowed.

“It’ll heal,” he said slowly. Except that he didn’t think it would, because if he’d gotten it hours prior, it should have already _been_ healed long before.

The girl nodded, still not looking at him. “But until it does, there’s still a chance it could get infected.”

Sucking in a breath, she finally met his gaze again, blue eyes wide and sincere as she stared at him Inuyasha was floored at the genuine concern in those midnight pools.

“Please,” she entreated. “Let this be my way of thanking you for…earlier. For stopping those men and bringing me up here.”

Inuyasha paused and considered the woman before him. Honeyed eyes searched her face, seeing nothing but genuine concern and sincerity in the way her delicate brows furrowed slightly and how she gently worried her bottom lip.

He answered before he even knew what he was doing.

“Alright.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **please note:** in this particular au, the age when one is considered an adult is 20, not 18.
> 
>  **another note:** after rereading this and making some minor edits, i realize some people might think that kagome opening up so soon after meeting him is frowned upon, but considering this particular notion a bit further, i have decided that i don’t give a fuck and i’m too lazy to change it a;dfjaijfhuliffc

She flashed him a quick, grateful smile before she scurried away, leaving the room to retrieve the necessary supplies and Inuyasha was stuck with that image in his head until she returned.

He had to concede that the wench was even prettier when she smiled, which brought about the question of just how the hell she’d managed to remain pure when living in a place like this. His guess was she couldn’t have been here for very long. He remembered Sen and how she seemed panicked when Miroku had been dragging her away, how she’d silently apologized while looking absolutely wretched and it didn’t take long to put two and two together. The other woman had been clearly protecting her from the lust of men, and he had to wonder why since it was inevitable.

Unless… Fuck, unless it wasn’t by choice—

The door opened and Inuyasha looked up to watch the woman close the door then pad back over to him, a basin of water in one hand and a basket of what looked like medical supplies in the other. She paused before him, bit her lip, and blushed.

“Could…could you move to the bed, please?” Her flush deepened. “S-so I can sit beside you and—um—”

Inuyasha tried not to grin at how easily flustered she got and wordlessly stood up before doing as she bade. Two strides and he sank down onto the mattress. It was hard and lumpy and he grimaced. God, she had to sleep on this every night? How the fuck did she get up every morning without doubling over in pain? Better yet, how the hell does she even get any sleep?

She saw his expression and smiled a little wryly.

“It helps if I fold a blanket beneath me,” she supplied, answering his silent questions as she sat beside him. “Though most of the time I still wake up feeling like a cripple.”

He snorted and her smile became a bit more genuine as she set down her supplies and dunked a cloth into the water she set beside her. The mattress was stiff enough that she wasn’t worried it would spill as she gently tugged his arm into her lap and began carefully cleaning it of blood, old and new.

They lapsed into silence, Kagome feeling strangely comfortable around this man she’d just met, and Inuyasha lost in thought as he quietly watched her work. Her touch was so gentle he barely felt any pain at all. By the time she’d finished cleaning and was ready to apply some kind of smelly concoction he could only assume was some kind of antiseptic, he couldn’t contain it any longer.

He had to know.

“Why are you here?” he asked lowly, staring at the top of her head with a slight frown.

She froze, her hands pausing and he saw her tense, her shoulders hunching. Her fingers twitched against his arm and he heard her suck in a sharp breath, but otherwise remained still.

He inwardly cursed. Shit, he’d made her uncomfortable again. The hanyou prince’s ears pinned and he sighed.

“Forget it,” he muttered, shaking his head. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t—”

“M-my parents,” she whispered and Inuyasha went very, very still. “…They died. About two years ago.”

She finished with the medicine and washed her hands with the water before grabbing a white square of cloth. She carefully pressed it over the cut, muttering an apology when he winced.

“They had both developed an illness of the lungs,” she continued and grabbed a roll of bandage. “And their decline in health was…it was terrifyingly rapid. My grandfather had died the year before of the same ailment, though he passed much quicker because of his age and preexisting conditions.”

Slowly she began wrapping his arm, aware of his gaze on her head, but she kept her own focused on his arm. Her hands were deft as she passed the bandage over and under again and again.

“Anyway.” She sighed and started securing the bandage with a knot. “My parents knew they were going to die. Before they passed, they asked my mother’s sister, my aunt, if she and her husband could take my younger brother and I into their home and care for us since I was eighteen and my brother only twelve. My aunt and uncle are bitter people with no children of their own and they never bothered to hide their disgust whenever Souta and I were in the room. Knowing that, I never understood why they’d agreed to take us in, at least until the day after my parents died and they came to collect us. They didn’t even give us any time to grieve before putting us to work on their farm.”

“They sound like uncaring assholes,” Inuyasha put in, unable to stay silent any longer as she told her story. “Not even giving you time to mourn your own goddamn parents? Callous and selfish.”

Satisfied with her handiwork, Kagome smiled dryly and started organizing the supplies to keep her hands busy. This next part was never easy to recall and she had to fight to keep from crying.

“I didn’t mind the work,” she went on, eyes on her hands as she fiddled with the damp cloth. “It distracted me and kept me from thinking too much about…things. Souta, on the other hand, wasn’t used to such arduous work and he messed up often. He was only twelve and wasn’t as strong as me, and he cried a lot. He missed our parents. H-he…ah…”

“You can stop,” Inuyasha reminded her. It was obvious this was difficult and he didn’t want her thinking she had to explain.

Kagome sucked in a breath and shook her head. “N-no, it’s okay. I’m okay.”

Inuyasha frowned, but didn’t object.

“A week passed before my aunt and uncle got tired of his constant slip ups and his crying, so they sold one of their cows and sent him off to some boys home in another town far away. I didn’t even get to say good bye. The people just showed up one day, bundled him into this fancy carriage, and took off. I tried to run after him, but my uncle held me back. I could hear him screaming for me, crying my name…”

She pressed a hand to her mouth and closed her eyes, trying to collect herself, feeling her eyes grow hot with unshed tears. She hadn’t forgiven her relatives for that and she knew she never would.

“Jesus,” the man next to her muttered and she glanced up to find him shaking his head in disgust. “That’s…fuck, I’m sorry.”

Kagome sniffled and tried to smile in thanks, but gave up.

“I have no idea where he is,” she confessed, her voice raspy. “They wouldn’t tell me what town, or what the home was called. I tried finding it myself, but…”

She sighed and shrugged, then lifted a hand to rub her eyes, wiping away any evidence of tears.

“I stayed with them for the next two years, working every day with hardly any rest. Then, on my twentieth birthday one week ago, before the sun had even risen, they came into my room and told me we were going on a trip. I’d learned by then not to question them so I said nothing and followed them out to the carriage. We traveled to the next town over, about a five-hour ride, and with no explanation whatsoever, they dumped me in front of this place and left without a backwards glance. Madam Kirina was the one that explained they’d sold me to the brothel, to her, and that’s…”

Kagome sighed, opened her eyes, and locked gazes with intense amber.

“That’s why I’m here,” she finished in a murmur and Inuyasha’s chest _ached_.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy friday!

Well, shit. Now Inuyasha felt like a giant asshole for making her relive those painful memories and he grimaced, ears flattening into his hair as he looked away. Fuck, but what sort of uncaring, despicable bastard did you have to be to sell your own damned _niece_ to a brothel? And sending a young boy hours, possibly days away, from the only blood relative he had left? Inuyasha silently vowed if he ever met the lowly creatures who displayed such selfishness, he’d—

…Okay he didn’t know _what_ he’d do, but he’d think of something. Because that was just wrong and he knew if his parents ever heard such a tale, they’d agree with him.

She suddenly stood up, drawing him from his thoughts, and he watched her open the window before dumping the water out of it. She busied herself with tidying up the room, setting the basket of medical supplies by the door to take care of tomorrow, and it was obvious she was trying to distract herself from her own thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” Inuyasha blurted and she paused to glance at him, her expression inquisitive. “For, uh, what happened. And it probably wasn’t easy, uh, saying all that.”

A fleeting look of surprise crossed her features and then they softened into a smile. She wandered over to perch on the end of the bed, though she angled her body toward him.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “And it’s okay. It…actually felt good to get all of that off my chest. I hadn’t told anyone all of the details since it happened and it feels like I can breathe a little easier, you know?” She shrugged. “I only gave Sen a watered-down explanation so not even she knows everything.”

Then she smiled at him and it was so genuine, so bright and sincere that Inuyasha felt his face go warm.

“So thank you for listening to me,” she said, gratitude in those great blue eyes of hers.

“I, uh, y-you’re welcome?”

Inuyasha wanted to groan and cover his face because _seriously_? Jesus Christ.

Instead he cleared his throat and tried to distract her _and_ himself from his awkwardness by saying, “Uh, you and Sen. Seem pretty close.”

She smiled again and crawled to the head of the bed before propping her back against the thin headboard and wrapping her arms around her knees. She stared at her feet for a minute, collecting her thoughts, and Inuyasha took the opportunity to scoot back until he was leaning against the headboard as well. Even though she was a small thing, there still wasn’t much room on the bed for two people so his thigh brushed her feet, but she didn’t seem to mind so he didn’t give it much thought.

“Sen is my friend and the only one I can trust,” she admitted. “None of the other girls made an effort to be nice or even pretended to be. My first night here, she tried to tell me to run, to flee in the middle of the night. She wanted to protect me from this place, but like a fool I didn’t and now…”

She sighed and idly played with the gauzy material of her dress.

Inuyasha digested that in silence before asking, “Why didn’t you?”

Kagome shook her head. “I was scared. I had nowhere else to go. No money, nothing to my name but the clothes on my back and the shoes on my feet, and now I don’t even have those. I’m pretty sure Madam Kirina burned them. So now…I have nothing. What other choice did I have but to stay?”

Inuyasha’s jaw tightened and he looked away, glaring ahead at nothing in particular. As much as he hated to admit it, staying here had probably been the smartest thing for her to do with no money or nowhere else to go. Someone as delicate as her would get eaten alive out there, either by the harsh realities of a cruel world, or by hungry demons looking for their next meal.

“Anyway,” she continued with a sigh and his ear flicked toward her. “Sen has done her best to protect me from interested men and Madam Kirina, always making up excuses for me so I wouldn’t have to, er, entertain. I hid in the kitchens when I could with the pretext of preparing the guests’ something to eat. This time though, I guess…I guess she got tired of me hiding and, well…”

She trailed off but she didn’t need to finish. Inuyasha had witnessed the exchange between them, recalling clearly the brothel owner’s harsh words. He was well aware of the unfairness of it all and found himself wishing he could do something, anything to help, but then had to chastise himself because he was being ridiculous. There was nothing he could do. She was an escort now, property of this brothel and its cruel owner. After he left tomorrow morning it was unlikely he’d ever see her again.

Still, though, a part of him couldn’t help but feel a little guilty since he and his group of men were responsible for how things had gone tonight for her. Okay, _Miroku_ was mainly responsible, but semantics. Granted, even if they hadn’t shown up, things still might have gone the same way because frankly Madam Kirina was a bitch, but there was no way of telling, so Inuyasha didn’t dwell on it.

He had to accept there was nothing he could do, and move on.

“How’s your arm?” she asked, pulling him away from his musings for what felt like the nth time that night.

Inuyasha flexed his arm, a little surprised the sting he’d felt before had diminished almost entirely.

“S’fine,” he answered, giving a shrug. “Hardly stings anymore. You’re pretty good at that. Treatin’ injuries, I mean.”

The girl smiled and gave a sheepish shrug, but her face flushed in delight.

“My parents were doctors,” she explained. “I liked to help take care of the patients and I picked up a thing or two.”

“It’s a useful skill to have.” Inuyasha grunted before sliding off the bed and stretching. Damn, that bed was small.

She said nothing in response and he glanced at the girl—

Inuyasha inwardly sighed. He _really_ needed to stop calling her that.

“You got a name?” he asked, taking a step back and leaning against the wall as he crossed his arms.

She blinked, evidently having not expected that. Then she smiled.

“Ka—” She cut herself, remembering Sen’s advice about false names. Something about protecting yourself, and it was pretty sound advice. She tried again, saying the first word that came to mind.

“Um, K-Koi.” She flushed. “My name is Koi.”

Inuyasha’s eyebrows rose into his bangs at the unusual name, but then remembered where they were and figured it was probably an alias. A smart move, even if she had nothing to fear from him. But it was good to get into the habit, so he didn’t call her out on it.

“C-can you tell me your name, please?” she asked and at his perplexed look, her flush deepened and she hastened to explain, “You’re the only person aside from Sen whose shown me any kindness in a very long time. If it’s alright with you, I’d…like to know the name of the man responsible for giving me a good memory amongst all the bad. Please.”

Inuyasha said nothing at first as he studied her. Amber eyes took in her earnest expression, the small, hopeful smile curling her lips, and beautiful midnight eyes gazing at him with such unabashed admiration it made him slightly uncomfortable.

“Sha,” he replied at length, inclining his head. Even if she didn’t recognize him, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to give out his real identity just to be on the safe side. “And I wouldn’t exactly call it kindness. I was just doing what any sensible man would do, Koi.”

He paused. That had sounded _weird_ , but he…kind of…liked it? What the fuck.

Kagome shrugged, an easy smile on her face, pleased he’d given her his name. “Perhaps, but there aren’t many of those around here, at least in my experience.”

Her smile turned wry as she looked away and Inuyasha felt stupid. _Duh_. Of _course_ she wouldn’t have met any sensible men. She lived in a motherfucking _brothel_ , for chrissakes.

“Yeah,” he grumbled, grimacing. “I s’pose you’re right.” He didn’t sound too happy about that, either.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long to get this one out. i've been without a computer for the past two weeks and i finally got my new one in last week. slightly longer chapter to make up for it. things are _finally_ starting to pick up ;D enjoy~

Kagome tipped him another smile and parted her lips, but before she could say anything, she emitted a big yawn and she was left blinking. Inuyasha felt his lips twitch and he looked away before she could see his amusement.

Fuck, but that had been cute.

“It’s late,” he commented, looking out the window. “You should get some sleep.” He nodded at the chair a foot away. “I’ll sleep in the chair.”

Kagome bit her lip, deliberating. Then before she could change her mind she blurted out, “The bed’s big enough for both of us.”

He gave her a _look_ and Kagome had to grin.

“Okay, so maybe not,” she giggled and he snorted, rolling his eyes. “Still, though. If you find you can’t sleep…” She shrugged, not without a blush, and scooted further down until she could roll onto her side. “I don’t mind sharing. And I…I know you won’t do anything. I trust you.””

“Noted,” Inuyasha drawled, shaking his head, though he was flattered that she trusted him enough to offer. He just hoped she wouldn’t be too trusting in the future with less than reputable men.

“Go to sleep,” he repeated even as another yawn escaped her mouth. “I’m gonna go wash off weeks old grime and dirt and maybe I’ll feel somewhat human.” He paused, then added under his breath, “Well, half-human,” but Kagome was too sleepy to hear, blue eyes blinking up at him drowsily.

“Sha?” she murmured and he paused on his way to the door. She smiled sleepily at him and whispered, “I know I’ve already said it, but…thank you again. For saving me. I’d probably be a lot worse off if…you hadn’t.”

Her eyes closed and she sighed before giving into the throes of slumber, content and trusting enough to fall asleep with a man she’d just met standing in her room.

For some reason Inuyasha’s heart clenched at the sight of her fast asleep, looking so damn small and fragile curled up on that tiny ass bed. He swallowed once, twice, the lump in his throat suddenly making it harder to breathe.

“You’re welcome, Koi,” he whispered before quietly leaving to go wash up, closing the door gently behind him.

He returned roughly thirty minutes later, stealing back inside just as quietly as he had left. A quick look toward the bed revealed Koi was still sleeping soundly. He actually did feel a lot better – god, that hot water had felt _amazing_ – and it felt good to release his hair from the braid it had been in for the last…when was the last time he’d washed his hair? Two weeks? The washroom had even had some decent selection of soaps, and while most if not all were feminine, Inuyasha hadn’t cared because it was _soap_.

Now, feeling clean and warm and drowsy, Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to pass out and not wake up for a solid six hours. But instead of going to the chair, he found himself walking to the bed instead and slowly sinking down onto the edge.

Koi didn’t stir, her breaths even and deep. He felt that feeling in his chest again, an odd sort of ache, but it was almost…pleasant. She looked so peaceful with her face relaxed in sleep, lips slightly parted, strands of hair resting against the smoothness of her skin. Before Inuyasha even realized what he was doing, clawed fingers gingerly brushed back her hair, his touch lingering and he was rewarded with a gentle sigh from the slumbering woman.

It was ridiculous, and probably a little inappropriate, how fast he decided to screw proprieties sake and slowly lower himself down beside her. She _had_ said she wouldn’t mind, and she was petite, besides. They could both fit on the sorry excuse of a lumpy mattress so long as he didn’t move around too much, which was unlikely given how damn tired he was. And you know what, fuck it. The bed, as thin and shitty as it was, was bound to be more comfortable than the chair and he was allowed to be selfish at least once, goddammit.

 _Besides,_ Inuyasha thought as he settled onto his back, putting an arm behind his head as he closed his eyes. _I’ll probably never see her again after this, anyway. I can allow myself this thing. This small…nice smelling…thing…_

With a sigh, Inuyasha finally drifted off to the land of nod, surrounded by the gentle scent of roses and vanilla.

**-X-**

It was still dark outside when Inuyasha was jerked awake to the sound of a deafening explosion that rocked the entire brothel, jostling the woman curled up against his side into wakefulness. Koi gasped and blinked at him in confusion, but Inuyasha ignored her as three things captured his attention simultaneously.

One, he heard people screaming and the unmistakable shrieks of demons. Two, he smelled blood. Three, dust and debris were raining down from the ceiling. Inuyasha had a split second to grab the woman at his side and hurl them both onto the floor before part of the ceiling collapsed onto the bed.

Koi was screaming, clearly terrified as the building continued to cave in on them as Inuyasha pushed himself up onto his hands with a colorful string of curses. What the _fuck_ —?

 _“_ Get _down!”_ he roared and threw himself over Koi, curling himself around her to protect her as the rest of the ceiling, along with some roofing, crashed to the floor right on top of them, the window shattering as half the wall went with it. Inuyasha grunted and grit his teeth as heavy wood and stone struck his back. He felt small arms wrap around his waist, the woman beneath him curling into him and trying to make herself as small as possible, sobbing and shaking in fright.

The building was still crashing around them, crumbling to the ground as the foundation creaked and groaned, threatening to give way. The prince knew they had to get the fuck out of there before they were buried alive. Preferably _now_ and opening his eyes, he was met with the sight of wide blue eyes staring up at him, glistening with fright-induced tears from a face gone white.

With a grunt, Inuyasha heaved and dislodged the debris pinning them down. His back would likely be bruised and sore for a while, but at least he’d been able to protect Koi.

“We need to get out of here before we’re buried,” he shouted over the din, grabbing her arm and hauling her up with him.

“What—what—” she tried, clearly in shock, wobbling where she stood, and then looked down at the floor in horror when it started creaking ominously beneath their feet.

Inuyasha ignored her. With thankfully minimal difficulty, he managed to dig out both his suikan and sword before promptly shoving both into Koi’s arms and then sweeping her up into his own. She gasped and hid her face in his shoulder as he lunged through the opening in the wall just as the entire building collapsed into ruins.

The first thing Inuyasha was aware of as he landed on the grass outside was the village was on fire. The air was thick with smoke, people screaming and crying and running as they either tried to fight off the ravaging demons or escape for their lives. He set Koi on her feet and stunned, she just stood there, gaping at the collapsed ruins of building that had been her home for the past week.

“What the fuck is going on?!” he growled when suddenly Koi gasped sharply, dropped his suikan and sword carelessly to the ground, and took off.

 _“Sen!”_ she sobbed as the other woman, also crying, ran to meet her halfway. The two threw their arms around one another in a relieved, desperate embrace.

“Inuyasha!”

The hanyou prince tore his gaze away from the women to watch his second in command jog up to him, face grim.

“Explain,” Inuyasha snapped, scowling darkly and in no mood to fuck around.

“The village is under attack,” Miroku obeyed without question, voice curt. “It’s another horde of blood demons, although this horde is the smartest we’ve come across. _Fire_ , Inuyasha. They’re setting things on _fire_ and _blowing things up._ How—”

“There’s no time,” Inuyasha cut him off, watching his men strike down demon after demon, some of them half naked, some of them completely bare, but not letting that stop them from protecting innocents. “We’ll discuss what happened later, but right now we need to destroy these vermin and put out the fires.”

Miroku nodded and opened his mouth. Before he could say anything, however, the sound of his name, uttered in a shaky voice and just loud enough to be heard over the pandemonium of the village, had his gaze snapping around to land on an ashen face and wide maroon eyes.

Inuyasha followed his gaze and cursed. Sen and Koi stood a few feet away, arms wrapped around each other, and Sen was wearing Miroku’s purple suikan with nothing underneath. He exchanged a look with Miroku and nodded once. He didn’t know what happened to the Madam or the other girls, and to be honest he didn’t particularly care, but they couldn’t just leave these two here unprotected and vulnerable. Even though he hardly knew Koi, Inuyasha knew he’d never be able to forgive himself if something happened to her.

“Split the men, half on the fires, half eliminating the blood fuckers. I’ll take care of this and join you shortly.” He turned and put his fingers to his mouth before giving a sharp, shrill whistle that pierced the air for several seconds.

Miroku looked relieved and nodded once before taking off to do as he was told.

Stopping to collect his sword and suikan, Inuyasha shoved Tetsusaiga into place at his hip as he stalked toward the two women, holding each other and silently watching him approach. He could smell their fear, but it was strangely dimmed, and their confusion evident on pale faces. He didn’t miss the way Sen tried to push Koi back, obviously still protective of her and Inuyasha had to approve of that, even if it was unnecessary.

“I know you’re scared and wondering what the hell is going on,” he began and reached forward to drape his suikan over Koi’s shoulders. Her eyes widened and she flushed but said nothing, accepting it without question. “But I don’t have time to explain and if you wanna get out of here in one piece, you’re gonna have to trust me.”

Sen frowned, clearly skeptical, and she opened her mouth to say something. But then her eyes suddenly went very wide as she directed her gaze to something over his shoulder and he knew Entei had just landed behind him. Koi gasped and the look on her face was an endearing mixture of delight and awe.

“Entei will take you somewhere safe,” he explained as the large horse trotted up beside him and nudged his shoulder. “He’s not dangerous, and he does what I say without question. So when I say he’s to protect you two until I summon him back to me, he will. Understood?”

To his surprise, Koi nodded with a small smile and the fact that she trusted him already even though she barely knew him had something warm blooming in his chest. Sen, on the other hand, still looked like she was having a hard time processing everything, switching her gaze between him and Entei with a wary look on her face and biting her lip. She kept looking over her shoulder as if searching for something, and he knew she was looking for Miroku.

Inuyasha sighed, impatient, and before either of them could protest he grabbed Koi around the waist and effortlessly lifted her up onto Entei’s back. She gasped, hands fisting in his bright orange mane, and he turned to do the same thing to Sen. She went to step back but he didn’t give her the chance, snagging her around the waist and heaving her up behind Koi.

“Don’t,” he snapped when Sen looked about ready to tear him a new one, face red and brows low over her eyes. “I already said I don’t have time to argue with you, so just fucking trust me, alright? I’m trying to save your life, woman, so _let_ me. Shut up, hang on, and don’t be scared of the fire. It won’t burn you.”

He glared her down and didn’t give her a chance to retort back. He glanced at Koi, who stared back at him with large blue eyes, before stepping back and gently slapping Entei’s rump.

“Get ‘em out of here,” he ordered and the demon horse snorted once before taking off, great hooves pounding into the dirt before giving a mighty leap and soaring into the sky. Predictably the women shrieked in surprise but Inuyasha paid them no mind, already turning around and unsheathing Tetsusaiga in the same movement. He stalked into the fray, ears pinned and scowling darkly.

He had some nasty blood demons to slaughter.


End file.
